TPM Jar Jar Binks (with Gungan Battle Staff)

Happy Force Friday, gents. Here at the Star Wars Box, we're excited about getting new Star Wars toys, but decided it's not worth fighting for them when they'll be flooding clearance bins in a few months anyway. Instead, lets reminisce on The Phantom Menace with this Jar Jar Binks figure, from a Force Friday sixteen years ago...

First, I've got to say I'm no fan of Episode I. Actually, I'd say it's pretty much the worst Star Wars film that's been made. I'm not hyped for the Force Awakens and yet my expectations are that it will be at least better than that film. But with that said, Jar Jar Binks isn't really what made the movie bad.

When I was a kid, I had a fledgling interest in Star Wars. TPM came along and more or less killed it, but I did still appreciate a few aspects and characters from the movie, even back then. Among what I liked was actually none other than Jar Jar. It really wasn't for much more of a reason than him being a silly, annoying character that everyone else hated, so it made me want to like him. I was always a bit of a troll like that.

This Jar Jar figure is surely not his best. The sculpt and pose are both okay, but I find he doesn't have much detail or definition to be seen. The character design really doesn't provide much to work with, but from the neck down this figure has very little detail.

The battle staff is an awkward part too. I barely remember him using it in the film, and I'm not even sure if that's just my memory or if he really did use it. I wish he could hold it with both hands as he tends to look very lazy and enthusiastic holding it with one or by just dragging it around...

Anyways, here's to hoping Episode VII will be light-years better than Episode I!